by Elle Thorne
Just as the waves were about to touch him, a brown blur appeared before him, catching the brunt of it.
His bear collapsed to the ground. The waves vanished.
Sean dropped to one knee, putting his hand on the bear’s chest. It rose slightly.
“You could have killed him,” he yelled at the witch.
“Silence, shifter.”
He rose, stiffened, his muscles bunched up, ready to leap on the witch.
Eden grabbed his forearm, held it tightly. “Don’t, please,” she whispered.
Sean reined in his temper.
The Realm-Crossing witch turned to Circe and Eden. “What I want is for you to get out of the way. But you won’t. You insist on interfering with our agenda.”
“Who is our?” Eden asked.
“Our is the witches in Europe,” Circe replied. “They are the ones that want the twins.”
“Where are they? I know you moved them.”
Sean clenched his jaw, his gritting teeth sounded loud in his ears. Eden tightened her grip on his arm.
“You can’t have them.” Albani took a step forward in front of Circe.
Piria joined Albani, making a shield that protected Circe.
“You cannot stop me, elementals. All I have to do is kill this one,” she pointed at Piria, “and you’ll all be trapped here, and unable to stop us.”
Sean frowned, the hell he’d let that happen. The next series of events were a blur.
The witch raised her hands, more shimmering light, though this time it was like a laser beam rather than a large wave.
Piria raised her own arms. A flame sprouted from her fingertips and turned into a shield of fire that surrounded her.
Sean shrugged Eden off and stepped between the witch and Piria, but the vicious blast of her light knocked him to the ground, forcing the air from his lungs.
Albani pushed her hands toward the sky. Lightning flashed, searing through the atmosphere, attaching itself to her fingertips. She made a circular motion with both hands, shoved them outward, then was flung into the air, catapulted into a somersault, and brought down on her back, next to Sean.
The witch pointed to Albani. “No parlor tricks. I’ve bound your elemental skills to me.”
Albani’s face contorted with panic.
Chapter Twenty-One
Eden was beside herself. This damned witch could take Albani out, the most powerful elemental Eden had ever seen. She’d bound Albani’s powers so that if she tried to use her electric elements on anyone, they’d boomerang back on her.
Piria didn’t stand a chance against this witch. Her face was pale, her countenance horror stricken.
Next to Eden, fur moved. She glanced down. Sean’s bear was struggling to awaken. She was thankful he was alive. Her panther was nuzzling the bear, pushing on his muzzle with her head, trying to revive him.
Eden couldn’t let the witch kill Piria. They’d all be trapped in this realm forever and die here. She sucked a deep breath in and launched herself at the witch. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Sean had leapt to his feet and was rushing the witch.
The Realm-Crosser glanced at the two of them, and almost summarily seemed to dismiss them with a nod. Only that was no mere nod, she’d raised a wall of light between herself and Sean and Eden. The two of them bounced off the barrier, landing once more on the ground.
She made a tsk sound at their failed attempt and flicked a hand at Piria, who was airborne and flipping, flying, crashing toward the ground. And just before she’d hurled Piria onto the unyielding ground, the witch slowed her progress, and set her down with just enough force to cause her leg to make a snapping sound.
Eden knew what that meant, she didn’t need to see it. Piria’s legbone had been broken.
Piria, her face a mask of pain, tried to rise to her feet but could do nothing more than lay on the ground in misery.
Eden glanced at Circe, mouthing, do something.
Circe shrugged.
They were both in the same place, both powerless, both unable to perform elemental feats without their elementals within them. And at the moment, their elementals had lost their powers and stretch.
“Amaranth,” the witch said. “That is who I am. Amaranth, the reigning coven leader of the Ancient Temple Coven.” She raised her arms as though in supplication to the sun. Amaranth glared down at Piria. “You will yield your realm to me, scarred one.”
Eden’s blood ran cold at the tone in the witch’s voice.
She’s going to kill her now.
“No!” Eden scrambled to rise to her feet.
She couldn’t have said what happened next, it was a barrage of motion. One moment, she was working toward getting up and stopping the witch from killing Piria, the next she was pushed aside by a blur of black on one side of her, and one of brown on the other side.
Amaranth had been so intent on summoning the power to forge a spell that would kill Piria that the attack from a panther and a bear caught her completely off-guard. Within seconds, she was overwhelmed and encased in movement and fur.
Movement to the side caught Eden’s eyes. Ciara had stepped forward and was moving her hand in tiny circles in Amaranth’s directions.
Was that how the shifter animals were able to get to her? Because of Ciara’s actions? But wasn’t Ciara supposed to be an Intuitive? Eden didn’t know if Intuitives had witch skills or not.
Eden couldn’t see Amaranth. She couldn’t see anything but blood, and light, and black and brown fur.
A flash of an explosion of brightness, and the world about them went silent. The bear and the panther stood above a bloody spot. The place where the witch had been was now empty.
Circe seized Eden in a hug. “Are you okay?”
Albani knelt next to Piria, touched her scarred face with the back of her fingers. “How are you?”
Tears flowed from Piria’s good eye. The patch of fabric covered the scarred eye. Piria nodded that she was okay, but no words had come from her yet.
“We’ve got to get out of here before she comes back. Or anyone else.”
“No,” Piria said.
Eden whirled on her, “What?” There’s no way I’m going to get trapped in this jacked up place.
“I’m not going back.”
“The hell you aren’t.” Eden clenched her fists.
Ciara approached. “Perhaps there’s something? A way…”
“Do not try your tactics on me,” Piria screeched at her.
“I wasn’t thinking to,” Ciara began. “I was wondering if we could work something else out.”
Meanwhile, Eden was wondering what it was that Ciara had done to enable her panther and Sean’s bear to attack Amaranth. Which of course, made her wonder if Amaranth was alive, and would attack again.
“What?” Albani asked Ciara. “What can we work out?”
Ciara locked eyes with Albani and Circe and stepped closer, turning her back on Piria. Eden joined them. By damn, this involved her, as well.
“No.” Piria dragged herself toward their little circle, still unable to stand. “You will not do this. You will not discuss me as though I don’t have a choice, as if I’m a child.”
Sean stepped forward, leaned down and picked Piria up. She looked into his face, her hostility still semi-apparent, but slowly fading. He carried her to Albani, Ciara, Circe, and Eden.
“Thank you,” Piria said, one arm around his neck, holding on. “Your bear saved me.”
“I know.” He nodded. “And I’m aware that doesn’t make up at all for the loss the other bear inflicted on you. I don’t expect that anything would, but I want you to know he’s not your enemy.”
Eden’s heart felt as though it would burst with joy and pride at Sean’s ability to look past Piria’s hate, and at Piria’s capacity to not still blame all other bears for one bear’s actions.
“But still,” Piria said. “I can’t.”
“Can’t what?” all of them said in unison.
�
��I can’t go back to Eden.” She reached for Eden’s hand. “I won’t be the reason you don’t have your mate in your life. I won’t endanger anymore lives.”
Eden gasped. “What does that mean?”
Albani glanced at Circe, who nodded at her, then she stepped forward. “I’d like for you to join us,” she told Piria.
Eden shook her head, thoroughly confused. “Are you suggesting… what are you saying?”
Circe’s lips were pursed, as though weighing options, then finally she spoke. “Albani would like Piria to come with me and her. I will be her host.”
“Wait. No. What?” Eden wasn’t sure how to accept this new occurrence.
Piria leaned toward Eden. “Please. You have to let me go. It’s for my own good. It’s for yours. And his.” She touched Sean on the chest.
Eden sighed. Circe hugged her. “It’s for the best.”
Tears welled in Eden. She felt like she’d failed Piria. “I don’t know…”
Circe took Eden’s face in her hands, forcing her to look her in the eye. “Don’t make her live like this. Albani can help her, can be there for her.”
A lump presented itself in Eden’s throat. She wasn’t sure how to feel about this. A sensation of emptiness encompassed her.
I don’t want to be selfish. To force her to be in a place she doesn’t want to be.
She took Piria’s hand in hers. “I’m sorry. I let you down.”
Piria wrapped both her hands around Eden’s. “You weren’t equipped to handle what plagued me. I wasn’t equipped to handle it. So, it seems I’ve mishandled it.”
Tears streamed down Eden’s face. “Godspeed.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Eden woke on a pallet made of mattresses at Tyler and Sean’s place. An assortment of shifters, hybrids, and elementals, and an Intuitive that intrigued her were in the room, watching her.
Her sister Circe looked down at Eden, a measure of pity seemed to be in her eyes, and the golden flame of Circe’s elemental was now merged with the red flame of Piria, in the depths of Circe’s eyes, joined with the amber of her panther.
In Eden’s mind, her panther roared, and snarled. Eden wasn’t sure what was driving her panther’s unease, but she felt it herself.
A sense of emptiness. And at the same time, a sense of peace.
They’d all come back from Piria’s world unscathed, and Eden had no doubt that Albani would help Piria’s leg heal.
She sat up, studying the group in the room with her.
Sean was standing near the head of the mattress. He knelt and put a hand on her forehead. “You good?”
Tears gathered in her eyes and made him look like he was swimming in them. She nodded. “I think so.”
Just like that, Eden’s life had changed. She’d gone out for a walk in the forest with her shifter animal and her elemental, and she’d come back with just her shifter.
She took Sean’s hand in hers. She came back with him as well. And that was definitely something. Something good.
And Marco was there, worry prevalent in his dark eyes. His features drawn with concern. “Gave us a scare, kid.”
She held her arms out. Marco joined her on the mattress, his arms wrapped around her. She sighed and gave in to her big brother’s hug. Tears came, unexpected, and definitely unwanted, with so many in attendance, witnessing her grief.
“She’s gone.”
“I know.” Against his chest, his voice was a deep rumble in her ear. “But it’s for the best.”
She choked on a sob. “I know. But I feel hollow inside.”
“It will go away. It will. Trust me.”
“How would you know?”
“I’ve known someone this happened to.”
She looked up into his face. “You never said.”
He gave her a half-shrug. “Confidentiality. I promised.”
“My turn.” Camden pushed Marco’s shoulder. “I need a hug from my twin.”
Eden smiled through her tears, hugging Camden. “I missed you.”
“You have no idea how much I’ve worried about and missed you.” Camden’s tears spilled with Eden’s. “But things are good now.”
Are they? Eden looked into Circe’s eyes, looking for a sign of Piria’s happiness.
Why is this so hard when we weren’t even close?
“You know, Ciara can help you,” Mae said from the corner of the room, where she stood with Doc.
“That’s like sweeping it under the rug. I want to deal with the emotions.
“I’m here if you change your mind,” Ciara said. “And if for any reason I’m not in the valley, I won’t be far away.”
Eden nodded her thanks.
Sean cleared his throat.
Tyler punched his twin on the shoulder. “I think he’s giving us a hint.”
A touch of color made its way to Sean’s cheeks. Eden was charmed by that look on his handsome, rugged face.
Don’t forget sexy came from her panther.
She bit her lip at that thought. Jeez, I’m in a room full of people.
And then she realized something. In all her years with Piria and her panther, she’d never had her panther express anything so loudly, or so clearly. It was as though the prior two-plus decades, there’d been static interfering with her communication with her panther.
Had that static that restricted her messages with her panther come from Piria?
Her panther roared so loudly that Eden almost wanted to cover her ears. Not that it would have done any good since the roaring was in her head.
She noticed Circe and Marco watching her carefully.
Are they worried about me? Is there something about having parted ways with Piria that I don’t know? That I need to know?
Eden didn’t get her answer.
Circe nudged Marco. “Let’s get out of here.” She waved everyone toward the door. “Give Sean and Eden a moment.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Sean felt like he was in a surreal world. It was just her and him.
And his bear and her panther.
No audience. No fire-starting.
Nothing. Just him. And her.
Just Sean and the woman who turned him inside out without his even realizing it. He’d have never thought a month ago that he’d be going to another realm, for love.
He’d have never thought he’d have risked his life, for love.
He’d also not have believed his bear would have risked his life, for love.
They—neither he, nor his bear—had ever felt this way before.
Overwhelming didn’t begin to describe the emotions he felt for Eden Brazos.
So why, now, after all this, did he find himself speechless.
His bear snarled in his mind, urging him forward.
I get it, Sean responded. I get it, dammit.
Then why the hell did he feel like a schoolboy, nervous about talking to his crush?
Eden pushed her hair back. “I must look a mess.” She fiddled with the sheets, adjusted her rumpled clothing, keeping her hands busy with nervous tasks.
Sean knelt next to the mattresses, took her chin between his thumb and finger, and stared into her dark eyes with the amber flecks of her panther.
“You don’t look a mess to me. You look like the woman I’m not going to let out of my sight. Ever again.”
“Ever?” She bit her lip.
“Not if you’ll have me. Us. Not if you and your panther will have us.”
“You know, she’s already given her blessing.” Eden’s smile was shy. “Actually, that’s putting it mildly. I don’t think she’ll give me a moment’s peace if I’m not with you.” Then she added, “And your bear.”
“Which reminds me,” he caressed her chin with his thumb, “I know the experience of being in that world—Piria’s world—was weird, maybe even a bit frightening at times, but it was cool being able to see you and your panther at the same time, as two individual beings.”
She nodded. “That was co
ol, but the price was too high. If the only way we can do that is with Piria being a part of me, that’s courting danger, isn’t it?”
He nodded. “Are you okay with her not being a part of you anymore?”
“I think so. I think it’s better for her—”
“I know it’s better for us—” he interjected.
“True. There’s no us if she’s a part of the equation.”
“Do you think she’ll stay in Circe indefinitely?”
“Funny, you ask that. I just had a thought.” She frowned, wondering if her idea had merit.
“Tell me.”
“I was thinking…” she plucked at the pillow, pulling at it incessantly until Sean paused her hands with his. “I don’t know if you know this, but the ones who trained us, they are monks of the Order of Elementals in the Carpathians.”
His brows flew up at her announcement. “No kidding? What about them?”
“I think I’d like to take a trip to see them. To talk to them about Piria, about what happened to me.”
He nodded.
“And to find out what I should be doing. I’m no longer an elemental hybrid. I’m just a plain ol’ shifter.”
“Woman, there’s nothing plain on you. Nothing.”
He leaned over, his lips sealed over hers, his tongue pushed into her mouth, mapping a trail over her bottom lip, then driving deeply inside.
A low moan slipped out of Eden’s mouth, the sound muted and swallowed by his.
Sean licked her tongue gently, tasting it, teasing it, then he grew demanding, claiming hers, taking her prisoner.
Her lips tasted exactly how he’d imagined.
Delicious.
His bear growled in agreement.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Eden opened her eyes and stared into Sean’s, noting his bear in the deep liquid pools, just as her panther lurked nearby, ever at the ready.
He pulled away. “I don’t want to rush you.”
His voice was that sexy kind of hoarse that made her knees weak and a pulse beat in areas south.
You couldn’t rush me if you’d done that yesterday. “You’re not,” her words were a breathy whisper that perfectly captured the way this man made her feel.
